Small Fiber Neuropathy News

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 – Prediabetes may cause more nerve damage than previously believed, researchers say. "The results of this new study add urgency to the need for more screening of those with the condition and faster intervention," said senior study author Dr. Michael Polydefkis, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The study included 62 people, including 52 with tingling and pain in their hands and feet – a condition known as neuropathy. Diabetes is a common cause of neuropathy, the researchers said. Thirteen participants had prediabetes, meaning their blood sugar levels were higher than normal but not yet at the point of diabetes. Over three years, the researchers found that those with prediabetes had damage over the entire length of small sensory nerve fibers, rather than just at the longest ends first. The findings challenge current ... Read more

MONDAY, June 22, 2015 – Long periods of squatting in tight jeans can cause muscle and nerve damage, a new case study suggests. The research involved a 35-year-old woman who arrived at a hospital complaining of severe weakness in both her ankles. The day before, she had helped a relative move and spent many hours squatting while emptying cupboards. She said she was wearing tight "skinny" jeans that became increasingly uncomfortable as the day progressed. That evening, she developed numbness in her feet and had difficulty walking. She tripped and fell, and spent several hours on the ground before she was found. When she arrived at the hospital, her calves were so swollen that her jeans had to be cut off, the researchers said. She had lost feeling in her lower legs and feet, and could not move her ankles or toes properly. Doctors determined she had a condition called compartment syndrome. ... Read more

MONDAY, May 11, 2015 – People with the digestive disorder celiac disease are at increased risk for nerve damage, a new study suggests. Swedish researchers looked at more than 28,000 people with celiac disease and a "control" group of more than 139,000 without the disorder. The researchers found that those with celiac disease were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with nerve damage, medically known as neuropathy. However, the risk of nerve damage among the study patients was still low and the association seen in the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. The study was published online May 11 in the journal JAMA Neurology. "We found an increased risk of neuropathy in patients with celiac disease that persists after celiac disease diagnosis," Dr. Jonas Ludvigsson, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues wrote. "Although absolute risks for neuropathy are ... Read more